Organizations today are increasingly realizing that a commitment to social justice isn’t just right from an ethical standpoint. Demonstrating a commitment to social justice is also good for business because customers appreciate knowing that their dollars are supporting an organization that does well by its employees, customers and community. Plus, employees appreciate feeling that they work for a company that is out to do more than simply turn a profit.

Written Commitment

It’s not enough for company leaders to stand before employees once a year or hold a press conference to state the company’s commitment to social responsibility. This commitment should be in writing. To truly implement an organization’s commitment to social responsibility, it should incorporate wording that expresses this commitment into its mission statement and in its policies.

Supporting Procedures

The organization’s procedures should reflect its commitment to social responsibility. For instance, an organization that would like to demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility by helping employees reach a better work/life balance might write create processes that make it easy for employees to keep flexible schedules, allowing them to pick up children from school or take off mid-day to take a child to the doctor. Likewise, a company that is trying to become more environmentally friendly might institute procedures that require printing only when absolutely necessary and keeping documents electronically whenever possible.

Attending to Culture

Too often, companies foster a repressive culture that makes employees feel unappreciated and expendable. A commitment to social responsibility must begin at home, with those that keep a company running from day to day. While policies and procedures that support social responsibility are a step in the right direction, another important, albeit less tangible, way of demonstrating this commitment to social responsibility is to work to create a company culture where employees feel valued and know that they are being treated with the kindness they deserve as human beings and not just cogs in a giant machine.

Taking Visible Actions

Actions really do speak louder than words. Thus, it’s important that organizational leaders act in a way that demonstrates the organization’s commitment to social responsibility. This might include lending out employees to community nonprofits throughout the year, so that your employees can lend their work experience and expertise to nonprofits that can use it. It might also include making grants to charities that work to make a difference in the community an organization serves and supporting local organizations that improve the lives of community members.

About the Author

Cynthia Gomez has been writing and editing professionally for more than a decade. She is currently an editor at a major publishing company, where she works on various trade journals. Gomez also spent many years working as a newspaper reporter. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northeastern University.